Survivor { R5 fanfiction}

Chapter 57

I started writing this in 2015 and we're in 2017 wtf am I doing
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RYDEL

I won't lie, seeing them being all flirty, in front of me, it makes me sick. Emily's unbearable giggle rings out in my ears, for what seems to be the thousand time of the day. I close my eyes, and my nostrils tremble from impatience. She'll end up luring Infecteds if it keeps going. She snuggles up against Ratliff, who has passed an arm over her. He leans in, and drops a kiss on her temple with a slight smile. They doesn't pay attention at all at the surroundings, despite the constant danger. Some groups of Infecteds already have jumped on us on the way, we can't permit ourselves strolling, especially when you're in charge of people who can't defend themselves for the most of them.
I curse under my breath, making sure no one's around. Jealousy is blinding me. Ratliff is happy, Emily is happy. I would consider her friendly, even. I must stop behaving this way. What did I thought? That Ratliff would stay single all his life, waiting for me? Emily was here when I wasn't. It's not like we actually dated before. Nothing never happened, in spite of everyone teasing us about Rydellington, making us blush and uncomfortable all the time.
But it still hurts.
Fortunately, the Sam guy, who was supposed to be further, scamper toward Ratliff, making me turn away from my negative thoughts, and Ratliff from Emily. He leans in, hands on his knees, as he tries to catch his breath, sweat dropping from his forehead.
"You're supposed to be scouting, Sam." Ratliff reminds him, and the proud boy's smile wipes away from his lips.
"There's a camp out there."
"A camp?"
"I can tell you it's worth going out of our way to see."
"Wait, what do you mean, a camp?"
"They surrounded tents and stuffs with cars."
Sam doesn't even wait for Ratliff's approval, and drags him behind him. As our leader doesn't protest, everyone follows them quietly. After a several minutes and turns, we come out on a large site. I shield my eyes with my hand so I'll observe better around. Indeed, there us something rather huge meters away. Sam makes us run all the way here. He eventually let Ratliff's arm go, and proudly show the place.
As he mentioned, quite a few dirty and torn tents are installed inside a circle formed by imposing broken cars and vans. Metallic objects are hanging on broad strings in between the spaces not closed by the vehicules.
I get closer, and stand on tip toe to have a better view. Litters scatter the ground, and you can tell a fire has been settled at the center. It must be inoccupied , since there is no sign of recent blaze. Along with the tents, others shelters have been built on the camp, to storage I would say. As they're well-made, I can't see what's inside. I expected them to barely stand, but their builder seemed to be professionals. They still look robust despite their old state.
"Look Ratliff! There could be bunch of supplies there!"
"Sam, we don't know if it's someone's..." Ell points out. Sam snorts, and Ellington frowns in discontentement.
"It's seems pretty abandonned to me."
"I agree." I add. Everyone turns toward me, as I'm standing behind the group. "See the fire there? Long time since it's been lit up. People living there are probably dead."
"We're not so sure about that."
"Well, screw them. They shouldn't have left." Sam crosses his arms over his chest. His haughty gaze and his raised chin reveals he'll stick to his guns, and isn't ready to change his mind.
"Language, Sam. We have youngsters with us."
"My father used to swear a lot." Jessica comments out of the blue. Ratliff gasps slightly, but quickly pulls himself together as he turns to face the boy again.
"This isn't the problem, Sam. We know better than stealing."
"Isn't what we've been doing since the beginning?"
"Ah, he's got a point man." Derek approaches Ratliff scratching his neck. He puts an hand on his shoulder.
"Scavenging this place or a random lift, it's the same."
Ratliff senses the trick. He scrunchs up his nose in confusion, and his frown grows bigger as he scans everyone person of the group one by one. I avoid his look when it's my turn.
"Y'all do really think we should sack this?" He says quietly through gritted teeth.
"What's the problem anyway?" Ross shrugs." We've done it before, and we're running out of a few things. Ammo, precisely."
"This camp came along at just the right time." Heather tops.
"Well then." Ratliff whispers, removing Derek's hand from his shoulder." If y'all want this, who am I to refuse?"
Everyone drops their backpacks carelessly on the ground, in relief. As I'm the closest to the homemade wall, I shove my feet into wooden planks blocking the way. They smash with a satisfiying sound.
"Hey, good job, Rydel!" Emily, who I haven't seen coming, congratulates me with a soft pat on the back. I fake smile at her.
"Thanks." I mean, she's been nice to me, no need to be rude. She smiles back, and right when she is about to enter first, Ratliff shows up from nowhere, and grips onto her forearm.
"Can you come? Ross and I will check the surroundings, just in case."
"Yeah, sure!"
"Rydel?" I have no choice, but look at him when he calls me. His usual facial features has changed a lot, I notice, tiredness obvious, and harshness, which contrast with his personnality.
"I told the others elders already, but I count of you to be in charge of the youngers, and do what necessary, if something turns out badly. We never know. Thanks."
He doesn't wait for my answer, and just goes away, dragging Em behind, to join my little brother who was waiting patiently further, next to a little street. I can't even complain about that, I reject him the best I can. I barely made eye contact. As much as I try to pretend this relationship doesn't affect me in anyway, I'm delusioning myself. I can't ignore the hurtful pang in my heart, that won't leave me. Not anymore.
"Hey, you're okay?" Hailey says with a worried tone. I'm so absorbed by the three I haven't notice people have been passing one by one by the little passage I created. Most of them are already scavenving the place, shouts of joy echoing from time to time whenever someone finds a treasure. Hailey is in fact the last one to enter, but she stopped her movements when she saw, I assume, the sadness plastered on my features.
"I'm fine."
"You sure?" She insists. I close my eyes, and grit my teeth.
"I told you I'm fine, Hailey." I feel she backs up a little after my harshness, and I reopen my eyes. She looks hurt, with her disappointing frown and pout on her lips. I immediately regret what I've said. I stare at her for a while, chewing on my lips, and end up looking away.
"Sorry, I... I just need to be alone for a little bit, you understand?" I can feel she follows my gaze, that I unvonlunturealy steer straight forward the couple stepping into the alley. She sighs, and starts rubbing my arms, soothly.
"I understand."